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How to serve many dishes at once The mezze is custom-made for party-giving. Here's a countdown to help you prepare a mezze in advance. It's nice to take care of things ahead of time, but remember that the mezze is an inherently casual way of eating. Nothing is meant to be served piping hot, and the best temperature for most dishes is lukewarm. Nor are quantities meant to be a sure thing in Middle Eastern cooking. The yields for these recipes are much like the Lebanese attitudes toward hospitality-they will expand to fit. 2 DAYS AHEAD • soak the chickpeas (if using dried) • make the hummus • order the lamb 1 DAY AHEAD • make the labne • make the loubieh bziet • make the foul imdamis • pick up the lamb; give it a very thorough trim THE DAY OF THE MEZZE • make the baba ghanouj • make the tabbouleh • make the kibbeh 1 TO 2 HOURS BEFORE SERVING • bring the hummus, foul imdamis, and loubieh bziet to room temperature • cook the kibbeh (if not eating raw) • wash and trim the vegetables for dipping It isn't a meatloaf, it's kibbeh. This mixture of lamb and cracked wheat, lightly seasoned with cinnamon and allspice, can be served raw as shown, or shaped into small patties, fried, and stuffed into pita bread. Tabbouleh (Parsley & cracked-wheat salad) It's important to chop the ingredients by hand; the food processor tends to make mush. Make sure the parsley is washed and dried well. If you're making this ahead of time, don't add the lemon juice until just before serving. Serves six to eight as part of a mezze. � cup finely chopped fresh mint 4 medium tomatoes, cored, seeded, and diced l4 cup fresh lemon juice Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste � cup extra-virgin olive oil Soak the cracked wheat in warm water for about 30 min. Squeeze out the water and put the cracked wheat in a large bowl. Toss the scallions, parsley, and mint with the cracked wheat. Add the tomatoes, drizzle in the olive oil, and toss again. Add the lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Toss again and taste for seasoning. Hummus (Chickpea & tahini puree) This makes a wonderful dip for vegetables. Make sure the chickpeas are very tender. If the hummus is too thick, thin it with water. Serves six to eight as part of a mezze. One 19-oz. can chickpeas, or 1 cup dried chickpeas that have been soaked and cooked until very tender � cup tahini (sesame-seed paste) 1 clove garlic � cup fresh lemon juice Salt to taste Olive oil Cayenne If using canned chickpeas, drain them, reserving the liquid, and rinse them. If using dried, cooked chickpeas, drain them and reserve V2 cup of the cooking liquid. Puree all the ingredients in a food processor until very smooth, adding the reserved liquid as needed. You should have a medium-thick paste. Season with salt. Transfer the hummus to a shallow bowl, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with cayenne. Serve with pita or raw vegetables. Baba Ghanouj (Eggplant & tahini puree) The most important part of this dish is roasting the eggplant. I do this on my gas stove, and it makes a mess, but the flavor can't be beat. Other options are on a grill, under a broiler, or in a hot oven. The oven is least preferable because it can't give the eggplant the desired slightly charred flavor. Serves six to eight as part of a mezze. 3 lb. eggplant 1 tsp. minced garlic � cup tahini (sesame-seed paste) 2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice 1 tsp. salt To roast the eggplant, set each eggplant directly on the flame, grill, or grate. (If you're using the oven, set a tray on the rack under the eggplant to catch any drips.) The 66 FINE COOKING � cup fine-grind cracked wheat 1 bunch (about 6) scallions, chopped fine 3 cups finely chopped parsley leaves (flat-leaf preferred)